Moto X, DROID MAXX, ULTRA, and Mini Have All Been Rooted.

If you own a Moto X on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, or US Cellular (Rogers too), you can root your device with a simple app created by Justin Case, called MotoRoot. If you don’t own a Moto X, and instead decided upon the DROID MAXX, ULTRA, or Mini, you too can root your device with a simple 1-click app.

To root, hit up the correct XDA thread below, grab the .apk file that matches your device (Moto X has specific .apk files depending on carrier), install and run it on your phone, and tap the “Setup” button. Your device will then fully reboot. Once it reboots completely, you will be rooted. At that point, you can enter the Play store and install Chainfire’s SuperSU app.

In order to keep root, you do need to keep MotoRoot installed. Should you uninstall the app, you will break root, but can regain it by installing the app again.

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Can I root to uninstall bloatware then unroot with no adverse effects? This includes security. If I root to uninstall bloatware then unroot will my phone in any way be negatively affected?

guesterbator

The guys name is Justin case? I thought that name was only used in the “just in case” jokes, I should’ve figured there was actually one out there. At least he’s doing something cool.

….”He made the app so that he could not only obtain root, but do so in one click…..Justin case”

Zach

Does anyone know how I can disable the message about increasing the volume too high through SQLite?

Malcolm Love

This just made my day.

Reginald Jefferson

It made my day too when I decided to stroll through xda

Hacker

Love tweeting to VZWSupport when there devices get rooted and reaffirming the company that they are just an ISP, nothing better.

bboyairwreck

idk… shouldnt we not be doing that considering we dont want them to patch it? The more clueless VZW support knows about it the better chance it wont get patched

MikeSaver

Awesome! Too bad I won’t be getting one until the customization’s on Verizon, and by then they’ll probably shut this app down

Kyle Gregory

Wifi Tether one my Maxx FINALLY!

JB

You don’t need to backup?

burpootus

So you got root. But no unlocked bootloader. Next update breaks root. Count me out.

mcdonsco

As long as next update doesn’t break entitlement_check = 0 I don’t care…will it?

burpootus

I may be wrong, but doesn’t entitlement have to do with WiFi hotspot?

mcdonsco

yes, change it to 0 and POOF, free wifi hotspot.

Robert Macri

Version 2.0 will be unlocked.. Justin just announced he’s found a way

mcdonsco

That was BY FAR the easiest root method I’ve ever seen – Awesome!

Anyone know if OTA rootkeeper will work on this?

bboyairwreck

OMG!!!! OMG!!! I got my first Cheers for an article on Droid Life!!! AHHH!! I know this may seem silly but omg I love this site and been following it since I got an OG Droid and this totally made my day! (i know big whoop… i sent in a link) but ahh!! Thanks Kellex!!! I’mma wear my Droid Life shirt to work today! ^_^

Pakmann2k

Good on ya. I remember a couple years ago I wrote to Kellex about my Google TV. He had me edit it into a review and then posted it. It was a pretty cool thing to see something that I wrote published online. Congrats!

neo1738

I remember mine.. Way back when the military had an article on cnn about switching to Android.

Don’t forget to get SQlite 1.5 or higher, go to Settings Storage (with icon), Settings.db, Settings, then search for entitlement and turn entitlement check value from 1–>0 to get free wifi tether! THIS is the reason I kept my unlimited data and bought the Maxx. I knew the android community would have this out in no time!

SchwannyT

I wanted the MaXX but was worried I wouldn’t be able to root. Happy with the Moto X but battery+wireless charging would be way cool

Geekdad

Is SQlite an app?

neo1738

Yes sqlite apk on Google will get you the Android installer not windows version. Make sure to get version 1.5 ir higher. You can also pay for sqlite on Google play if you want. Need root access to use it.

Hacker

Is this sqlite apk from the SDK? Do you have the link where I can get it from Google, no Google Play?

Hacker

not*

tomn1ce

How nice no computer needed to gain root. The process seems painless 🙂

Hey I tried adding google wallet, anyone else have any luck? I am still shut out??

bigfire

Well, there goes that reason for me to wait for Moto X. I’ll probably still wait, but my Galaxy Nexus is getting long on the tooth.

SchwannyT

Oh man I jumped to the Moto X last week (replacing my GNex). LOVE IT. I don’t need custom roms, it so sweet! Just need root so I can restore some app data without having to set them all up again!

New_Guy

Might as well get it before the carriers decide to “fix” this.

Dan

laggy

Ryan B

Can someone help me? I followed the directions but when I open superuser it needs to update the binary. Fails every time…

nicholas cusmina

It wont update, they are working on a fix, hold tight. It can still authorize apps like tibu, just dont open SU, it auto adds itself to a point

Ryan B

Okay, awesome. I do super appreciate the simplicity of this process as my last vzw note 2 resulted in items around me breaking.

nicholas cusmina

Yeah once they fix this issue, it should be fine. I posed the question earlier and it was basically explained that it only a partial root, but also a fully root haha. The phone is rooted, it just cant acess something because of the exploit that was used; in a nutshell

Ryan B

I want it mainly for ‘Font Installer’ & ‘SoftKeyZ’ and so far SoftKeyZ needs more root access and Font Installer acts like everything works and they it reboots with no change. So I am “rooted” but nothings working for me. 🙁

jamdev12

Buying a MotoX this morning before this b!tch is patched. I stick one big middle finger at you VZ.

now that there is root, the bounty has started for the bootloader. was at $600 last i checked

Pakmann2k

Like someone mentioned earlier, still waiting for the unlock for the Droid X from 2 years ago. Damn you Moto!

ItsGmartin28

anyone seen any sales for the moto x?

thinkpeople

the verizon30 will work on the web site for a coupon code.

KleenDroid

Congrats for those that have these devices.

StuckOnVerizonForever

They are the few, and the proud.

Anon Yser

i just got the mini saturday and it’s pretty awesome. it has better specs than my 5 year old netbook

Gnex

Ahh… The AOSP browser is amazing. Chrome blows.

nicholas cusmina

Interesting, still cant get rid of VZ apps on my phone even though I’m rooted… anyone else having same issue?

BobbyG

TiBu?

nicholas cusmina

I will try again thanks!

trwb

you can also try rom toolbox lite

JoshGroff

Pfft, lite. Pro is the way to go. 😉

trwb

Yes it is really a great app. Might as well get the full version if one is going to be rooting and romming a lot.

JoshGroff

It’s pretty cheap for how much root functionality it has. It’s pretty much become my single go to root app.

OneForTheGoodDays

Try warm water or peanut butter.

nicholas cusmina

hmm I only have warm water… PB OS hasnt been released yet haha

Lucky Armpit

JCase is still working on it; he said he’ll have an update released shortly that will fix that issue. It’s something about how SuperSU doesn’t have *full* root access to the OS. Sorry if I got that wrong; there’s a whole thread on xda that explains it much better than I could.

nicholas cusmina

Thanks dude! Its still nice to see even a partial root on VZ… kinda like the scene in 300 where Leonidas injurs the “god-king” Xerxes

Stevedub40

Very nice analogy 🙂

Stnkycheezman

still waiting on my maxx from newegg (preordered at 179 FTW) to get delivered. hope this method still works by the time i get it. =P

jamdev12

It should as long as you don’t take OTAs.

prestone1

considering they don’t have stock yet, it may arrive with an update (depending on how fast moto is). I didn’t receive an ota when I bought mine last week, it was already installed. if you want to be guaranteed you should go the Comcast route or trade in a crap moto admiral bought on ebay. I realize newegg was the cheapest but whatever is more important to you.

Chippah

Wheres the Droid X bootloader unlock?
lol

Pakmann2k

Use Kousch’s bootstrap and then 1-click root… lol, wow, I can’t believe I remember that.

Edit* Was thinking for root, no kidding, why didn’t we ever get unlocked!

Big_EZ

That phone with Liberty rom froyo, and the ram settings tweaked with autokiller was an amazing device. If you didn’t adjust the ram settings it was horrible.

nicholas cusmina

Flawless Victory!

gailcharris

$85
associate degree hour! Seriously i do not recognize why additional folks
haven’t tried this, I work 2 shifts, a pair of hours within the day and a
pair of within the evening…And whats impressive is Im engaging from home
therefore i buy longer with my youngsters. Heres wherever I
went,www.jobs74.ℂom

Ian

Love root. Root is great.

New_Guy

Root should officially be the word for good things.

“Mmmm these cookies are soooo root.”

“Oooh-weee! That girl is rootie-licious!”

ItsGmartin28

lol ikr im going to start saying that lets make that the new trend

New_Guy

That’s a reeeeeally root idea

dmagicp

Yes it is. I unlocked and rooted my note 2 and installed the jelly beans rom. I dont know how they did this but it integrated my 60 gb sd card with the phone and now i have 68gb of internal storage. The jelly beans rom also made my phone completely stock and got rid of touchwiz so now my note 2 looks like a Google experience version. Plus it still has all of the S pen apps and functionality. It is wicked fast and smooth and my battery lasts a day and a half without charging. I cant believe I didnt do this sooner.

MichaelFranz

waiting for best buy to get stock of droid maxx so i can go pick it up. Now im worried the exploit gets patched before they get it…..AHHH

zach471

That is awesome news, and seals my decision to buy the Moto X. Does anyone know if there are plans for 32 gb Verizon version?

jhlinka

I’m sure once they get Motomaker they’ll get the 32 gb option

Justtyn Hutcheson

Great news! I’m still diligently (read: impatiently) waiting for custom Verizon devices. Although a Verizon Dev Edition may be in the cards as well….

Nah, just wondering if there’s a difference between how Moto X handles those databases and how Maxx/Ultra do it.

brndn

Looks like there is.. I was surprised to see that though. The X’s value will be found, just requires time for hunt/peck/trial/error. Easy for my to say though, with my Maxx already tethering. 🙂

mcdonsco

Where did you find the entitlement check? I looked at the xda links and they were the same ones I found years ago (seem to be reposts of them though) when I first did it with my original razr…I haven’t been able to find it after rooting on new phones (razr hd maxx for instance)…

Would love me some free tethering…Was using portable wifi hotspot, no root required until I got the Maxx as it seems either motorola or verizon stopped that from working (fails every time).

chewybang

It’s there – just make sure you’re selecting the CORRECT Settings Storage. If you look at the thumbnails on this posting (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2442616), you will see that it’s the 2nd “Settings Storage” that you have to select (with the hammer and wrench icon). Once you select it, select “settings.db”, then “settings”. Go to line 65 “entitlement_check” and change it from 1 to 0. Done!

Hope that helps

htowngtr

I get what you’re saying (I used to have RAZR HD) but from those that have a Moto X that simply does not exist. There appears to be a fundamental difference between the two in how it hides that check.

imnotmikal

I just spent a few minutes searching through ever .db I could fine, and haven’t found it yet.

I did, however find one called “privacy_voice_always_on” or something of the sort within one of the many Moto .dbs. I assume it has to deal with Touchless Control, but still interesting to find.

EdubE24

Time to freeze up that Verizon bloatware!!

David Verba

Okay, with the Moto X – I’ve disabled all the bloatware – with root – how would one “freeze” it?

NorCalGuy

Once rooted you can install apps like ROM toolbox which will give you the option to freeze and even delete certain apps

Under the bridge downtown

What is the difference in freezing or just disabling an app?

Raven

My understanding is that disabling is just telling the system not to use the app apk and there are some apps that Moto or Verizon may not allow you to disable. Freezing is a lower level change and usually involves renaming the apk to something the system won’t recognize but leaving it there in case you ever want to “thaw” it.

JoshGroff

Disabled apps also appear under frozen apps in ROM Toolbox. Not sure if the same applies to TiBu as I haven’t used it in ages.

David Verba

Thanks to you as well!

KleenDroid

Titanium backup is not only a must have app but it also will freeze whatever you want.

David Verba

Thanks!

pjsockett

You didn’t need root for this. Disable the bloatware apps is part of Jellybean. If you go into the app info for any of the Verizon apps you can just disable them and they disappear from your apps.

Ian

Right, but now we can actually remove it and free the space.

Raven

You do realize that when you remove apps from the system partition it does not give you any more usable space in the regular data(apps) or sdcard partitions right? So, it is usually safer to just disable them or freeze them in case you ever want to take another OTA.

Ian

I do realize that. I like to tweak and mess with system files so more space is always a good thing, avoids having to re-partition.